A Bucket of Stones
by Twilight PhoenixFyre
Summary: "Didn't expect to see you here. You've got a thing for militaries, don't you?" Haunted golden-brown eyes met golden-green. "Does it matter?" A small twitch of the lips, and then a shrug. "I suppose not." / Rated 'T' for violence. Precursor to Ripples. Completed.
1. Meeting Outside New Ebenthan

Gnome: Vhat is this...? ...Ah. Must be something Ripples-related to help the crazy woman keep her sanity...

 _(Hehehe... Enjoy~ ...While you can...)_

* * *

 **Part 1 - Meeting Outside New Ebenthan**

Golden-brown eyes scanned the skies above the man as he stood in front of the city's gates. It was quiet. Early in the day, too early for anyone to really be out and about and noticing him.

Probably for the best. He wasn't going to be here much longer. He did need to go report in, after all…

It was always a strange combination of exciting and worrying, whenever he started a new 'life'. It was another chance to make friends, to learn the humans and their ways, to learn their differences…

Perhaps next time he'd gather up the courage to go join one of Ifrit's villages. He knew they tended to look, speak, and act very differently from the other humans, after all. It would be an interesting challenge to try to live among them without drawing his younger brother's attention.

"Lost?"

He jumped a bit, spinning around in shock.

That was… a rather neat trick. It wasn't often that men could sneak up on him… and yet, that was exactly what this man had done. Brown hair, lighter brown eyes… honestly, they almost could have passed for brothers.

"No, simply… Oh dear. Almost _late_ now. Excuse me," he replied as the time finally registered.

He kept forgetting that for humans, time passed much faster.

The man chuckled. "I'm guessing you're the new guy from Alkast?"

He nodded. "I am." Hm, the man who'd snuck up on him was wearing a military uniform, as well… He really needed to get going.

He started walking, long legs carrying him rather easily through the gates and across the stones of the humans' roads. The man followed him, footsteps quiet even as he practically jogged to keep up.

"Might as well come with you. Even if Colonel Raxan starts throwing a fit, might as well spare you a headache on your first day."

He glanced over at the man again, then held out a hand in a human greeting. "Sergeant Gaius Shale," he introduced himself.

The man smiled and shook his hand—what a funny greeting, but… hm, firm grip, not too strong, interesting—before replying. "Major Barakaru Masaru. Er… Masaru Barakaru. Sorry, I'm—"

"Clan Barakaru," Gaius murmured. He was fully aware of the Clans. There were a little over two dozen of them, after all.

"You… know about the Clans?"

He nodded.

He knew. He knew they worked outside of just fonons, knew that their knowledge was of a time that predated even his elder brother.

And now his curiosity had been piqued. "A little," he replied. "There is rather a bit of information floating around, if you know vhere to look for it. But it is… patchy, at best."

Masaru shot him an amused look. Whether it was because of his accent, which was rather distinctly _Bergan_ in nature, or if it was because of the less-than-subtle fishing for information, Gaius didn't know.

He wanted to, though. He was curious about the humans, truly. He wanted to know everything he could possibly learn from them, and he'd already learned so much in the last few centuries… So much more could be learned yet, he knew.

Like the hand-shaking. Why was that so much of a social standard?

They stepped into the military headquarters of New Ebenthan, and Gaius was reminded immediately of why he'd been dithering between New Ebenthan and Bergan for so many months.

King Archibald was rather… well.

He wasn't well-suited to a peacetime rule, truly.

Masaru glanced around, even as Gaius rapidly familiarized himself with the building's labeling. "Room?"

"14-C," Gaius replied immediately. Hm, everything on this floor seemed to be an 'A'…

"This way," Masaru said, tone leaving no room for argument, not that Gaius was offering one. He followed the man up the stairs, then up a second set. A spin, and then he was following the man down the hallway.

Masaru stopped in front of the correct door and opened it without knocking, something Gaius would have found rude if not for the man's next actions.

"So, yeah, looks like you're exactly one short, that's my fault…" Masaru shifted and waved Gaius past. "In you get… And I will get out of your hair, Alaire. Hey, lunch?"

Gaius only barely made it into the last open seat—right in the front, good grief, people—before the blonde behind the desk was throwing a chalkboard eraser at the man who was rapidly _not there_.

Thing was, he could still hear Masaru cackling halfway down the hall. Gaius shot the slowly-closing door a wary look, even as the blonde… woman—Colonel Alaire Raxan, apparently—glanced over at him. "Don't make a habit of this, Sergeant."

"No, ma'am."

Green eyes looked like they wanted to roll, but didn't, even as the Colonel strode back over to her desk and picked up another chalkboard eraser.

"Alright, listen up!"

Ah. There was the familiar snap he was used to.

And, rather predictably, it had him sitting up perfectly straight, not that he'd been that slouched.

Back in a classroom… Thank whatever gods existed that this would be a short stint. There was a reason why he never started as a child anymore.

Time to familiarize himself with the rules and regulations 'Gaius Shale' would be expected to hold to.


	2. A Friend in 'Need'

Whoops, meant to post this back on Friday, but I got swamped with stuff at work. x_x

Just as a warning, these 'chapters' are not bound by any sort of a word limit. Most of them are around 1k words each, but then Part 3 ended up being a whopping 3.8k (it's... really quite massive). So yeah.

There are 11 parts to this. ABoS is basically just one of a number of shorts to hold everyone over in between stuff.

* * *

 **Part 2 - A Friend in... 'Need'**

"So…"

Uh-oh.

Gaius shot Masaru a glare.

Three months after their first meeting outside New Ebenthan, and the man had rapidly ended up Gaius' friend. How, the sergeant was still trying to figure out, but he had a feeling it had to do with the fact that Masaru was just as curious about him as he was about the Clans.

The greatest part about being human, Gaius mused, was the ability to express oneself without having to say a single word.

Like right now.

Masaru was plotting, and Gaius was _not_ impressed. Hence the glare being aimed his way.

The man smirked at him, not even trying to hide it at this point. "I've been invited to the Royal Gala."

…Okay.

"Your point? They invite many people."

Masaru nodded. "They do. Thing is, I'm supposed to be bringing someone along, whether it be a family member, romantic interest, or even a colleague. And the last _three_ times I showed up to events like these alone, I got more sour looks than I've _ever_ gotten in my life at each individual event."

Gaius blinked a few times as he realized what the man was hinting at.

"You vant to drag me along."

"I do."

"Couldn't even _try_ to deny it, could you?" Gaius muttered almost crossly. Masaru grinned back, unrepentant.

"Nope!" Popped 'p' to boot.

"Methinks you need to find a girlfriend." Or a life, in general.

Thankfully, Masaru didn't take that as an insult—Gaius knew a few men who would have—and instead simply laughed. "Well, I'm not making any headway with the one girl I actually give half a damn about, so…" Masaru stopped and shrugged. "Next option, drag my best friend along instead."

Gaius stared for a bit.

Best friend?

Had they managed to hit that point already?

…Or was Masaru just _that_ desperate?

Gaius raised an eyebrow at him, and he offered up a sheepish smile. "What? Can you blame a guy? All of the people I grew up with either moved away, or got themselves killed."

That explained a lot about the man's behavioral patterns, at least.

"You know, you might get the Colonel's attention a bit better if you extended the offer to join you to the Gala to her instead," he said. Masaru sighed.

"Can't. Not for this one, at least. She's on duty that night. Checked her schedule already." The man fiddled with the croissant in front of him before he started munching on it, and Gaius mentally gave in.

"And vhat am I expected to vear to an event like this?"

"Dress uniform," Masaru replied once he'd swallowed his bite of pastry. "Any event labeled 'formal,' you can get away with it. Anything labeled semi-formal, you can either wear the dress uniform, or a clean standard uniform. Just so long as it's got your rank on it."

Gaius nodded. "And vhat, dare I ask, vill you be vearing?"

Masaru glanced up at him, blinked, and then shrugged. "I've got three different options. Dress uniform, which I've always done previously to try to shut up the people who complain when I show up alone; dress suit, which is just… uncomfortable. Or I could always go the traditional route and pull out the haori, kimono, and hakama. Haven't done that since the last big meeting of the Clan Heads. Half of 'em don't wear the traditional clothes anyway anymore. Not that Kazan or Okami ever really have."

Gaius was suddenly very much attentive.

"Oh? You don't enforce a dress code at those meetings?" he asked, keeping a teasing tone.

Masaru snorted. "The first eight Clans did. Aureriun, Barakaru, Seshire, Darigan, Eruzaeyon, Fende, Garudiosu, Haru… They've been around the longest. The others are all either branches, or… In the case of Okami, they were brought into the fold by Disuta. Hunter-gatherers that live in the forests on the north edge of the eastern continent," he said. "They've always shown up in what passes for finery, but considering their idea of finery involves an extra fur or two and some more jewelry? They've always stood out. Kazan, though, they're fun. And actually, I stand corrected on what I said a moment ago. Depending on who shows up and the generation, they'll either show up in the traditional garb, or in similar clothing to the Okami Clan. But more often the latter."

Gaius hummed. He'd seen the clothes worn by the villagers near Ifrit's home before. Given the hot, humid climate of the area, he couldn't blame them, really, and when he compared that to what he knew of traditional Clan formal garb… well.

He couldn't quiet help the snort. "Must make for some very interesting meetings."

Masaru smiled. "Here lately, they've actually been wearing whatever formal wear passes for their regions. I mean, I'm still wearing the kimono, most of the other founding eight are, too, but…" He shrugged. "It's gotten a little less rigid. It's _nice_ , actually, seeing the differences. Used to have to listen to the Mizumi Clan complaining about the stuffy clothing, or the Ataru complaining that they were _cold_."

Gaius chuckled a bit. "Sounds interesting."

"So… Royal Gala."

Right. That thing.

Gaius sighed. "If you insist. I do hope you vill be kind enough to save me from any ladies looking for a dance, however. I vill put up vith the party, but there is a reason why I avoid them."

Masaru offered up a strained smiled. "I'll do my best. No promises… I can't be sure _I'll_ be safe from the ladies. They're not very good at taking hints some days."

Well… if he was looking to observe humans, he was definitely going to be getting an excellent chance to do just that…

Gaius could only hope he wouldn't regret it.


	3. A Night of Confusion

Wow. I am terrible at posting schedules. .-.

Oh well.

In my defense, I got out of practice. So here's Part 3.

(NaNo starts tomorrow!)

(Please ignore the crazy author lady as she prepares for the insanity that is her first NaNoWriMo since 2012 doing an original story.)

* * *

 **Part 3 - A Night of Confusion**

Masaru met him at the edge of the courtyard in front of the castle, dressed up in the traditional finery of the Clans. The dark red hakama over the black kimono gave a bit of color to the outfit, while a brown haori over the whole thing was lined in gold. The man's darker brown hair, which was usually either left to fall free around his face or was pulled back into a loose ponytail, was up in a tight topknot tonight.

Gaius was actually rather impressed. "So you _can_ dress for a formal occasion."

Masaru's grin was the same as ever, though. "Hey, just because I know how to dress up doesn't mean I _like_ getting all dressed up," he shot back. "Ready?"

Gaius straightened his jacket again and then nodded. Not that he'd really _needed_ to straighten his jacket, but he was actually a bit nervous. He'd never managed to make it high enough in the ranks to be _invited_ to one of these things, and he'd certainly never made friends with a noble before.

Not that Masaru was really nobility, but the Clans were old, and oftentimes their Heads were treated as lesser nobles.

So it didn't surprise him that he ended up falling into step just behind and to Masaru's right, where a bodyguard or other guardian would normally settle. Best to follow his friend's lead…

The guards let them in without a fuss, and the crowds immediately had Gaius scanning the area for the nearest wall, and hopefully corner.

The worst part was, they weren't even in the ballroom yet.

Masaru had grabbed his arm and started dragging him through the masses of people in the next instant, and Gaius was grateful for the mortal's intervention. Getting him jittery was a bad idea, as he tended to lose his normally perfect control when he was uncomfortable.

They slipped into the ballroom and around the edges, and Gaius paused as a familiar presence had him looking around for the moving shadows.

No moving shadows… but there was one man who looked rather out of place, in a black and lavender coat. Silver glinted from the man's right ear, multiple little rings hanging from the pale skin, and black hair that seemed dark violet in the right light hung long and loose.

Red-violet eyes met golden brown for a second, and if Gaius hadn't known any better, he'd have thought the man was his older brother.

Then the moment was past, and the man was making his way through the crowds. Gaius lost track of him quickly.

"Gaius?"

He turned to blink at Masaru, startled.

Had he been _that_ focused on the stranger who looked as Gaius thought his older brother might, should Shadow ever choose to take a human form?

"You okay? If it's the crowds, we can leave as soon as is polite," Masaru said.

Gaius shook his head. "I am fine. I vas just… startled."

He'd been imagining things, that was all. His brother had stubbornly refused to take on a human form for _centuries_. There was no way he would have done so now, for _any_ reason.

Masaru found them a corner of the ballroom to hide in, and Gaius glanced around. So many people… And so few guards?

He didn't see Colonel Raxan among the soldiers around the ballroom. Either she wasn't in this part of the castle, or Masaru hadn't actually gotten her real schedule.

More likely she was in a different part of the castle, he mused.

The trumpets startled him again, and Gaius got the sinking feeling this was going to be a very long night.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Anastasia!"

Masaru shifted a bit. "Credit where it's due—they did name her well."

Gaius glanced up as the princess stepped onto the balcony over the ballroom. Steps on either side would allow her down to join them eventually, but for the meantime, the princess would be remaining up there.

If she was anything like he was expecting, she would stay up there until her father, the king, forced her to mingle.

There was a reason he avoided nobility, normally.

He would admit to one thing, however. The girl's blonde hair was artfully pulled up into a bun, a few curls left to hang loose, while a golden yellow dress made her look rather like one of the golden veela Rem and Sylph had made once.

She was beautiful, for a human.

And then, contrary to everything he'd figured would happen, the princess left the balcony, immediately beginning to mingle. Perhaps it wasn't with the common folk, but that she'd deigned to leave the balcony so quickly was impressive.

Much better than the last few noble ladies he'd seen presented.

"You know, I'll bet if you go over and offer her a dance, she'll accept it."

Gaius glanced around, and then somewhat less discreetly than he'd planned, smacked Masaru upside the head.

"Ow! Why must you abuse me so?"

"Vhy must you insinuate such things?" Gaius shot back with an ease he wouldn't have managed just a bare few weeks previously.

Masaru grinned back at him. "It's fun."

"You and I have _very_ different definitions of 'fun'."

Which, of course, just made Masaru laugh some more.

Gaius rolled his eyes and walked off, a bit more comfortable with the crowds now that he'd had a chance to look over them, watch them…

He wanted to find the dark-haired man again. The one in the black and lavender coat. He couldn't have possibly been a noble, not with the silver in his ear, but he had almost _looked_ it, at a glance. The long hair, the finer features…

He'd looked somewhat like Masaru, actually.

Gaius was so fixated on trying to find the man that he didn't notice the teenage girl that was headed for the refreshments table past him.

"Oh!"

"Oof…"

He twisted, caught his balance, and then _reacted_ , catching the girl who'd run into him—or had he run into her?—before her identity even registered.

The moment the girl was back on her feet, Gaius was bowing. "Ah, my apologies, your Highness. I vas not vatching vhere I vas going." Dammit, dammit, he really needed to do something about that accent one of these days. New Ebenthan was one wrong word away from a war with Bergan—member of the Kaminari military or not, supposedly from Alkast or not, Gaius' accent placed his roots as being from Bergan—and the last thing he needed was the princess angry with him.

She giggled a bit, sounding sheepish. "That makes two of us, I suppose… Please, there's no need to bow… er… I'm sorry, I can't figure out rank at a glance…"

Gaius straightened and offered up a smile. "Major Gaius Shale, your Highness."

Anastasia was even more beautiful up close…

He needed to stop staring at her, he mused.

"Princess Anastasia… But, please, enough with the 'your Highness'… Ah, Major."

"As you wish, Princess."

And now she was turning pink. Oh good heavens, if ever there was a time for Shadow to show up and announce that he'd taken human form, now was it.

As if conjured by the thought, Gaius spotted dark violet out of the corner of his eye, his gaze shifting to it immediately.

Once again, the man was there, and then gone, as if…

As if he were moving through the shadows, keeping an eye on the party, but staying out of sight as much as possible.

"Is something wrong?"

He looked down at Anastasia again and shook his head. "No, not that I am avare of. I seem to be jumping at shadows tonight."

Less-than-subtle hinting for Shadow to stop shuffling around and come talk to him, if it truly was his older brother.

Anastasia offered up a small smile. "Better to jump at shadows than be jumped by one, yes?"

Gaius couldn't quite help the chuckles. "Very true, Princess. If you will excuse me…"

A bow, a curtsy in return, and Gaius was retreating as quickly as was polite.

"Wow…"

He jumped a bit, and shot Masaru a sour look. Light brown eyes continued to shift back and forth between him and the princess, and then Masaru shot him a rather… disturbing grin. "You've got it bad, man."

"I don't know vhat you are talking about."

Judging from Masaru's snort, he believed that about as well as Gaius himself.

"Go ask her to dance already. We both know you _can_. Can't hurt anything, at least."

Gaius ignored him, moving on and continuing to look for the man he was almost certain was Shadow in human form.

Odd, though. Shadow had brushed him off when he'd tried teaching his siblings this trick…

He didn't spot Shadow. Instead, his eyes landed on the princess again, the teen once again maneuvering through the crowds, a glass of something or other in her hand.

…She _was_ beautiful.

And she _had_ apparently forgiven him for his blunder almost instantly…

A young noble stepped up and tapped on her shoulder, clearly asking for a dance, and though she appeared to be trying to use her glass as an excuse, the drink was handed off to a server before the nobleman managed to pull her out onto the floor.

Gaius saw it. The false edge to that smile, the way her eyes drifted when she could get away with it, looking around…

Brown eyes, the same color he associated with freshly-turned soil, that most people would call a 'chocolate' brown, met his for a bare moment, and Gaius could hear the silent question in them.

'Will _you_ come rescue me?'

…Oh, he was going to regret this later.

He slipped around the dance floor, watching his timing and keeping track of the song, and he smirked for a bare moment when he caught up to the princess and the nobleman just as the song ended.

The familiar bow and curtsy routine, and Gaius almost chuckled when the nobleman asked for another.

"If I may interject," Gaius spoke up, drawing those lovely brown eyes to him. "I believe I said earlier I owed you a dance for running into you, my fair lady." And, _yes!_ He'd managed to kill the accent just enough that it wasn't _glaringly_ obvious.

Anastasia giggled. "Indeed you did, Major. Perhaps later, then, Lord Zalan?"

The noble bowed his head. "Perhaps later, your Highness." And Gaius did _not_ miss the sour look shot his way by green eyes.

He simply ignored it, offering the princess a bow and then easily pulling her into step with the rest of the couples on the dance floor.

"Thank you," Anastasia said softly, clearly not eager for Zalan to overhear her.

"Overbearing suitor?" Gaius guessed.

And if that wasn't the most well-hidden eye-roll Gaius had ever seen, he'd quit the military. "Oh, you have _no_ idea. Though, he's better than Lord Eren. _There_ is a man who needs to figure out the meaning of the word 'no'."

He was smiling, Gaius mused, keeping track of their location on the dance floor with his peripheral vision and being _extra_ careful not to bump into anyone. "Well. I don't exactly have anything better to do this evening. My friend brought me along to get the nobles off _his_ back… It vould make no sense not to offer the favor to you as vell." Shit, the accent was back. Stop staring at her eyes and—

"Are you from Bergan?"

Shit.

Gaius managed to not misstep, though he knew his expression had shifted. "This accent is going to get me killed…" he muttered, not quite meaning for it to have been said out loud, and certainly not loud enough for the princess to hear.

She just giggled though. "Not by me. I'm just curious. It's rather interesting, really… So… are you?"

Gaius sighed. "Born, yes, but raised in Alkast." That was his story, and he was sticking to it. Even though it didn't really explain the accent.

Anastasia smiled, even as she spun out, then elegantly closed the distance again…

He really needed to _stop staring_.

"You are hopelessly enraptured, aren't you?"

And she'd caught him. "Alas, I am but a mortal." Lies, but nothing she needed to know about. "And mortal men are not so strong as to be able to resist the allure of a goddess."

The princess' cheeks turned a bright pink, and those warm brown eyes sparkled. "That… has to be the most sincere flattery I've ever heard."

It wasn't flattery, Gaius wanted to argue. But… he'd been running his mouth enough already this evening.

The song, sadly, did not last forever, and he was forced to release her hand, step back, and bow.

"You know, I did misplace my drink earlier…" Anastasia started. Gaius offered his arm.

"Vell, ve simply must correct that, mustn't ve?"

And that lovely smile was back.

Oh, _heavens_ he was actually doing this. He was actually walking to the refreshments table with a lady on his arm and smiling at her.

…He was never going to live this down. Whether the teasing would come from Masaru, or the older brother Gnome was still quite certain was hovering around the edges of the party, it _would_ come, he knew.

They had only just gotten their drinks when the trumpets sounded again, and Gaius caught the irritated look Anastasia shot the balcony before she gave him an apologetic look.

"I'm afraid I must attend to my father, Major."

Gaius sat the glass on the table again for a moment and bowed, pressing a light kiss to the princess' hand. "That you've deigned to grace me vith your presence at all is an honor I vill not soon be forgetting, your Highness."

Bright pink dusted her cheeks again, even as she made her way past him and toward the stairs.

Movement in his peripheral vision had Gaius glancing over and thankfully _not_ being surprised by Masaru again.

The other man was still grinning. "That was the most adorable scene I've ever witnessed."

Gaius snorted, rolled his eyes, and picked up the glass he'd abandoned in favor of one last compliment. "You vill have to excuse me if I proceed to ignore you for the rest of the night. Clearly you've had too much to drink already."

"But Gaius, good sir! I am but an observer, sharing my observations with a friend!"

Gaius nearly choked on his drink.

Only Masaru.

"His Royal Majesty, King Archibald the Fourth!"

Golden-brown eyes rose, spotting the man stepping onto the balcony.

Blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, and golden-colored clothing.

The similarities ended there, Gaius mused even as he joined the rest of the room in a bow.

Where Anastasia had been warm, open, and willing to mingle, the king was cold, indifferent, and held himself high above his subjects. And from the looks of it, held Anastasia away from them as well, as she was now standing near him, demure in a way that did not suit her at all.

"You know what the worst part of this is…?" Masaru asked, sounding a little less gleeful now, at least.

"Vhat?" Gaius asked, knowing already that he was going to regret it.

"I think you actually, _really_ caught her eye."

Gaius shot him a sour look. "She is the _princess_."

"Yes. And is just as mortal as you or I," Masaru replied, looking over at him. "And…" The man stopped, shook his head, and looked up at the king again. "No. I should stop. It's cute, but…"

…What?

"You are confusing me."

Masaru snorted. "Good. Don't ask me to clarify."

Oh boy. "You realize that saying something like that just sets the fox among the hens, yes?"

"Yeah… I'll tell you what. Give it another twenty minutes, and I'll be clear to leave. Being as that you are my guest, if I leave, you really should be leaving with me…"

"You don't vant to have this conversation in a crowded area."

"Not in the least," Masaru replied. "Especially considering—"

Screams cut him off, and Gaius was looking for the princess immediately, whether to assure himself of her safety or simply because he was fairly sure she was among the screaming, he wasn't sure.

It became clear, rather rapidly, why everyone was screaming.

The king had grown a dagger in his chest, and the assassin was still moving, not toward Anastasia, thankfully, but he did seem to be making an escape.

Gaius and Masaru both took off running, _toward_ the assassin rather than away. Four more men fell to the black-haired man's knives, before a familiar face managed to stall him for a moment, Colonel Raxan's sword and shield apparently just enough to keep her alive as Gaius and Masaru raced to catch up.

The assassin glanced back at them, scowl on his face, and threw two knives.

Gaius dodged one, the other aimed for Masaru missing as well when the man rolled under it. And how Masaru managed to run in that traditional formalwear, Gaius would have to ask later.

He slipped under another knife, even as the assassin finally broke through Alaire's guard. Pain flashed across Masaru's face, and Gaius shot him a look, silently ordering him to stay with the woman.

Confusion, worry, hope, and then the determined look that Gaius knew was his hint to get the assassin or _else_.

That wouldn't be a problem.

The assassin slipped through the halls, out into the courtyard, and Gaius _felt_ , then reached forward and pulled.

The ground shifted underneath the assassin, sending him sprawling even as Gaius caught up to him, restraining his hands and quickly pinning him. The ground looked unchanged, as if it hadn't simply shifted at a whim, and though the man struggled, he was small, slight, built for speed.

Gaius would never be as big as some of the muscle-bound men he'd seen wandering the world, but he had a good bit more mass than this man did, and he managed to haul the assassin to his feet and drag him back toward the castle.

No one would have seen the moving earth… except for that red-violet-eyed man that he was fairly sure was his older brother, and whom had just vanished into the shadows. _Again_.

"He is not very good at sneaking, it vould seem…" Gaius muttered to himself, pushing the assassin to walk in front of him.

"Why do you stop me?" the man asked. "You are from Bergan, are you not? Wasn't your intention tonight the same?"

Gaius snarled. "I am not. My vows were given for Kaminari, and to protect her. I vill not betray that!"

The man didn't speak again. Clearly Gaius had made his point.

More men came running up, including Brigadier General Aneris, the man Gaius knew Colonel Raxan answered to.

"Major!"

"Sir," Gaius replied easily to the man's shocked cry.

General Aneris blinked a couple more times, then motioned for his men to move forward. "Take that man into custody, make sure he doesn't slip away again," the older man ordered.

There was then a long moment's pause as Gaius handed over the assassin, watched the soldiers leave with him, and then saluted.

"At ease, Major… I don't recall you being on the active duty list for tonight."

"Lieutenant Colonel Barakaru brought me along as his guest for the evening," Gaius replied.

"I see. Well done, Major. And thank you for your rapid response to the threat," Aneris continued. A grimace was Gaius' only warning of the next sentence. "We'd worried about someone from Darigan showing up. They've been making noises to this effect, but the council didn't think they'd actually _do_ anything."

Darigan.

 _Clan_ Darigan.

"I'm glad I vas able to help, sir," Gaius managed to say without stumbling.

Aneris nodded. "Well. I should let you go. The party is effectively over, unfortunately, and now I have to go contend with the council. Have a… better rest of the evening, Major."

"You as vell, General." A nod—he wasn't on duty, he really shouldn't be saluting—and then Gaius stepped past him, headed for the ballroom… and Masaru.

He arrived just as the healers took Colonel Raxan, Masaru standing and watching on worriedly.

"Vhat did you know about this?" Gaius asked softly enough that no one would overhear.

"I knew the vote had been made at the last meeting, but I didn't think they'd do something so… public…" Masaru murmured. "It's for the better, for Kaminari as a whole, but…" Light brown eyes rose to meet Gaius' currently frosted gaze. "Why would the Clan _Head_ make this move himself? Unless they've been _trying_ , and this was the last ditch attempt. And if _that_ were the case, why haven't we heard about it sooner?"

Masaru stopped and looked away. "I'm sorry. I just…"

"You vere surprised by the act as vell."

"Yes. And worried. I… I'll tell you more later, alright? I'm… I'm going to go to the hospital, keep an eye on Alaire. I know Doran liked to use slow-acting poisons to keep himself from being implicated, so I'd rather be there to monitor her condition, make sure the healers don't miss the poison, if it's even there," Masaru said, voice tired.

"I vill check in on you tomorrow, then."

That Masaru didn't do anything more than nod and walk away, slow and clearly exhausted, said more about how sudden and unexpected this had been for the Barakaru Clan Head than anything else could have.

"…Major?"

Gaius jumped, surprised by the voice that had spoken from behind him. "Princess…"

Puffy red eyes, cheeks stained with tears, makeup smearing all over…

Gaius reached out to brush away another tear. "I am sorry." For her loss, for not seeing the assassin, for being too damn focused on her or the man who could possibly be his brother…

"It's not your fault, so there's no need to apologize. Just… My guards left with General Aneris."

…Ah.

Gaius held out an arm. "May I escort you to your quarters, your Highness? You should not be vandering alone after such an incident."

The shy, forced smile he got in response was exactly the reaction he'd expected, even as she took his arm.

Part of him worried about Masaru and Alaire and the man from Darigan. Part of him worried for the princess' mental health.

But, sadly, most of him was too busy analyzing the fact that she'd sought _him_ out…

He wasn't sure if he'd need to thank Masaru or smack him after this.


	4. The Shadow of the Battlefield

Before anyone asks me where the chapter where Masaru explains Clan politics to Gaius is... it's in another story. One told from Masaru's POV. XD You'll just have to wait for that to go up sometime next year.

Honestly, NaNo's not going well. (I know, Day 2 and I'm saying this.) But, I'm hoping to turn that around tonight.

(Yes, I'm procrastinating. But I'm also eating, and I'm not great at writing and eating at the same time.)

* * *

 **Part 4 - The Shadow of the Battlefield**

Gaius looked over the battlefield, countenance frigid as stone, and yet as unsettled as sand in a windstorm within.

So many dead. So many lives lost because The King Bergan took offense to the princess refusing the hand of their prince.

Gaius couldn't blame her. It would have trapped her in a political marriage that she was not only _not_ ready for, but wouldn't have been beneficial to Kaminari in the least.

"Colonel."

He turned, and noted that he was correct, and the soldier was, indeed, addressing him.

"Sergeant?"

"A message from the capital," the lower officer said, holding out a note.

…From the capital?

That was odd, Masaru wasn't in New Ebenthan right now. He'd been sent out toward the desert with troops to fortify Sheikahn.

He accepted the note and opened it quickly.

Ah. Princess Anastasia's coronation, and he was requested to be in attendance. He could do that, so long as the promised replacement made it out here in a timely manner. If not… Well. Much as he'd enjoy being in the fair lady's presence again, he did have a war to fight.

"Thank you, Sergeant."

"And sir?"

"Vhat else?"

Once, his accent might have gotten him in trouble. Fortunately, his was a rather well-known name now, and despite the accent, he didn't have to worry about it getting him in trouble.

"Brigadier General Barakaru is on his way from Sheikahn. He's left Brigadier General Raxan in charge there and… I believe actually _requested_ the transfer. Something about emotional compromises?"

Gaius smiled a bit.

Ah. Yes. He'd forgotten about that being in the last letter Masaru sent.

"Masaru and Alaire had just started… dating… vhen this var broke out," he said, stumbling over the unfamiliar but apparently 'current' word.

Why did the human language— _languages_ —change so much?

It made misinterpretation so much easier…

"Ah. Well. General Barakaru is on his way, should be here in about three days."

Three days was more than enough time for Gaius to get to New Ebenthan. Excellent.

"Thank you, Sergeant."

"Sir." The man saluted and left, and Gaius looked over the battlefield again, smile once again failing him as another man walked up.

"Colonel?"

"Vhat do you have for me, Lieutenant?"

"Casualty reports, sir. Would you like them now, or shall I put them on your desk?"

"If they are in writing, I vill take them now. There is no point to make you run an extra errand," Gaius replied. A clipboard was held out for him, and he tucked it under his arm, not wanting to look at the reports right then.

This war was going to kill so many men if it was not ended…

And Gaius knew just the trick to ending it, as well.

It wasn't something he was going to be proud of later. He'd used that tunnel for ages to get in and out of Bergan without his commanding officers noticing so that he might get innocents out of the line of fire.

And now he was going to make use of that information and see if they couldn't do the very same thing that had sparked the initial hostilities; kill the king of the enemy country. Certainly, the king of Kaminari had been killed by a member of a Clan associated with the country, but the problem was, that had sparked Bergan's interest in them, which had led to the refused proposal, which had lead to war.

Gaius was _not_ going to enjoy taking this to the council, and he wasn't sure what Anastasia was going to think of it, either. The problem with assassinating people was that it would backfire rather often.

And in this case, there was a much higher chance of it coming back to bite them in the ass than not, but…

But, there was also the large chance that the war would simply end if the current king died. His heir was young, younger even than Anastasia, and he was supposed to be a gentle type.

Gaius could only hope this was so as his eyes raked over the battlefield one last time…

Was that…?

He started moving before he could really think about his actions. There was a man in the middle of the battlefield, looking over some of the devastation left behind, and… He _knew_ that coat, knew that hair! It had haunted him since that night at the gala, when Archibald had been killed…

Red-violet eyes met golden-brown again as the man whipped around, and Gaius wondered how he had realized Gaius was coming toward him. It was too quiet, there were no sounds that could have alerted him, he'd been certain his footsteps were too soft…

The man was gone, running off and then slipping into the shadows as soon as he thought he had enough distance between them.

Gaius knew better. Shadow was playing some sort of game with him, and wasn't bothering to explain the rules.

He'd have to work them out later, he mused, seeing as how he had three soldiers on his heels.

"Colonel!"

Gaius sighed. "Return to the camp," he ordered, glancing around and heading back toward where he'd first seen the man.

"Sir…"

"I saw someone out here," Gaius said rather bluntly. "I need to figure out vhat he vas looking for, because he did not seem to have found it yet vhen he saw me."

"I understand, sir."

The men left, and Gaius stopped about where the man he was now certain was Shadow had been looking about.

What had he been doing here? What was he looking for?

Gaius looked over the battlefield. He didn't see anything special…

He _did_ , actually, he realized quite suddenly.

The men feared Gaius for his earth magic, which was less the magic he made it appear to be, and more just him growing weary of the fighting and drawing the earth up into stalagmites and pillars so eerily similar to what the humans could conjure.

He'd used that power more and more with each battle, and now he could see the battlefield was positively _littered_ with the proof that he had unleashed his wrath on the enemy.

Gaius swallowed.

They needed to end this before someone realized exactly _what_ Kaminari had on its front lines.

He glanced around, looking for the shifting shadows, the lengthening darkness, _anything_.

Shadow was gone, and would not be returning until night had fallen, and no human would be able to find him.

Gaius needed to talk to him.

He turned, forcing himself to return to the camp. He would return to the battlefield that night in a manner that no one would suspect, and he _would_ speak to Shadow.

He needed to thank his brother for pointing out that he was coming far too close to revealing himself.


	5. The Creeping Shadow

Hello, procrastination! My name is Twifyre~

Also, does somebody want to kill Dante for me? Maybe Kratos and Forcystus too? They're making my life a billion times more difficult than they need to.

Anyway, back on task... The first half of this should look familiar to anyone who's read AEtT. :D Enjoy!

(This chapter, AKA, Creeping Shadows Redux! (Sorry, couldn't resist throwing it in.))

(Also, whoops! Meant to put this up days ago.)

* * *

 **Part 5 - The Creeping Shadow**

Shadow was following him.

He hadn't noticed it immediately, but he _knew_ those moving shadows, knew the odd jumping they were doing.

Gaius stopped, glanced around, and then ducked into an alley.

If Shadow was following him, maybe now he could get some answers out of his older brother, irritating as he was being. Though, he got the sinking suspicious that Shadow was going to scold him for daring to get involved in this war.

What emerged from the shadows, however, was _not_ the dark-haired human Gaius had been expecting.

Instead, it was the same, indistinct but almost humanoid blob that was Shadow's base form.

He didn't look interested in speaking, so Gaius started the conversation. "I'm not going to leave."

Shadow wavered, as if confused.

…Had he not come here to scold him?

…No reason to keep beating around the bush. Shadow could play this game for hours; Gaius had a coronation to get to.

"Vhy did you come here, Shadow?"

The indistinct form waved back and forth, looking almost like it was dancing. "You would live among the humans willingly?"

Live among them, fight among them… As if Shadow _hadn't_ been confusing the hell out of him for the last few years. He huffed, choosing to pretend that Shadow and the black-haired man were _not_ one and the same, despite his certainty that they were. "I've been doing it for centuries now," he started. "I vill build a body and live out my life, then start over again in a new city."

Bergan had been his first. And he'd gone back time and time again, though this time, any returns would be as the leader of an invading force. Still, that was the reason why the accent stuck so strongly.

"Why?" Shadow asked.

"They are fascinating to vatch." Especially a certain soon-to-be Queen, with hair the color of sunlight and eyes that always brought to Gaius' mind the impression of freshly-turned soil, ready for planting. "So fragile, so very short-lived…" Short-lived indeed, he'd be hurting when Anastasia and Masaru and the rest of his current friends died, but he would move on. He'd proved that before. "But fascinating," he finished, hoping that Shadow wouldn't question him too much.

He stood there, waiting for Shadow's response… only for the dark blob to simply vanish back into the darkness from whence it came.

Gaius stared at the shadows in confusion, then forced himself to shake it off and turned, returning to the street and continuing to make his way toward the castle.

What had that been about?

And… no. He _knew_ that the man he'd first seen at the Royal Gala, the man he'd spotted on the battlefield, was his brother.

The indistinct blob of black and violet shadows was also his brother.

…What the hell was his brother doing, and why did Gaius get the sinking suspicion that Shadow was time-travelling to manage this feat?

He worried about that.

Time-travel was finicky, even if it was only a few _seconds_. How far had the human Shadow travelled back? Certainly no more than a few years, he thought at first, but…

The Gala had been four years ago, just after the princess' seventeenth birthday. The man he'd seen there had been _identical_ to the one he'd seen on the battlefield.

So, either Shadow was holding his human form at that one age, or he was doing a _lot_ of jumping around.

Gaius took a deep breath, tried to put it out of his mind, and entered the castle, easily navigating the halls. Anastasia had sent a second note to the inn he'd stayed at the previous night, requesting his presence before the ceremony, and Gaius didn't dare take too much time. He'd already been delayed enough by the base-form Shadow.

…The base-form Shadow, who was more than likely the same Shadow Gaius had last spoken to almost a century ago.

The human Shadow had to be the time-traveler.

Which… worried him. Greatly.

He stopped outside the princess' quarters and knocked, hearing the almost-familiar, haughty-sounding 'come in.'

He smiled a bit to himself and stepped in. Anastasia was a woman of many masks, and the one she wore when in public was far colder than her true disposition.

In fact, the had-been almost irritated look on the woman's face faded completely when she spotted him in the mirror near the door, a smile taking its place…

Only to shift into uncertainty.

Gaius bowed, as was only proper, and then gestured to the door. "Open or closed, your Highness?"

"Closed. I don't know how much of this you're going to want overheard."

…Oh no.

He closed the door slowly, careful to be sure that it didn't slam, and then took a deep breath. "Your Highness?"

Anastasia turned around, visibly bracing herself. "There is no need for you to address me so formally."

Gaius shook his head. "I am but a soldier—"

"Are you?"

He froze, wondering just where Anastasia was going with this.

"Ana?"

Another bracing deep breath, and then she said a single word, a single _name_ , that told him everything.

"Gnome."

She knew.


	6. The Princess and the Pendant

Okay, found my characters again! ...For now, at least.

Another day (yes, I am posting this at one in the morning, shush), another Part. We're halfway there; Gaius added another very short Part to this that I hadn't originally anticipated. I'm hoping to post Part 12 by the 17th, but don't hold me to that. Honestly, I'm kinda posting as I think about it here.

In the meantime, though, enjoy!

* * *

 **Part 6 - The Princess and the Pendant**

Colonel Gaius Shale was a calm, level-headed man with a knack for strategy and a raging infatuation for Princess Anastasia.

The princess who had just called him out on his true identity.

So perhaps it wasn't so surprising that his first instinct was to flee.

He re-appeared in a quiet garden in the Barakaru Clan compound. It was a familiar enough place, somewhere he'd hidden with Masaru time and time again when politics started to get to the both of them.

Masaru wasn't here, though. He was out on the front lines, and Gaius…

No.

 _Gnome_ had just vanished on the princess.

She knew who… _what_ … he was.

His legs failed him, and he collapsed, back pressed against a wooden beam, one of many that lined the walkways around the garden.

Anastasia knew what he was, had called him back to New Ebenthan knowing full well what she was recalling from the front lines…

She knew he'd been _fighting_ out there.

She knew.

"…Gaius?"

He shifted, glancing over his shoulder at Mikaera, Masaru's last living immediate family—his sister.

"Mika…"

"I did not see you come in," the young woman said, walking over. She was fond of the traditional clothing, her normal kimonos in dark reds that almost looked like blood. Almost. Today, though, the red had been traded out for a much fancier violet and gold. "Is everything alright?"

No. No, everything was not alright.

Gnome took a deep breath, savoring the feeling of the air in his lungs before letting it out.

Humans were fascinating. _Being_ one was… fascinating.

Everything was not alright. But it could be, yet.

"I am fine. I vas rather startled by something earlier," he admitted.

Mikaera smiled. "You needed someplace to think. I'll leave you alone, then. You're welcome here whenever. My brother's made that quite clear to the whole Clan."

Gnome nodded, grateful for the Barakaru Clan and their Head.

He waited until Mikaera was gone before he left, pulling himself through the earth, finding that potted tree he knew sat on Anastasia's balcony.

He wouldn't be seen appearing there, and he could give her warning of his return to be certain that he wasn't intruding at a poor time.

The balcony was as deserted as he'd expected, no eyes to see him, and he stepped toward the sliding doors that led into her quarters, rapping on them much as he'd knocked on the door previously.

The utterly befuddled look Anastasia wore when she approached the balcony from the inside might have made him chuckle in any other situation.

As it was, the fact that she was clearly even _more_ confused by the fact that he was on her balcony was clear in her expression, and he did end up chuckling.

At least _that_ got her to open the doors.

"…Um…"

"I did not vant to teleport back into your quarters proper. That vould have been rude."

And Ana was doing a rather marvelous impression of a fish.

"I apologize."

"For _what_?!" Anastasia flinched back, as if realizing that she'd just blurted that out at a _sentience_ … which she had, but he didn't care.

"For running avay earlier. You rather startled me."

Brown eyes stared, locked with his, searching.

"You… You're not human…"

Gnome nodded. "I am not. I have taken this form, yes, because it makes interaction vith humans easier… and truer. But if one vere to test my fonon signature, they vould find mine to match that of the second fonon itself."

She shifted, seeming to pull in on herself, and Gnome reached out, lifting her chin before she could tuck it against her chest. "But my existence does not negate the fact that I find you beautiful, heart and soul. I vould not vish to lose so precious a friend to something so petty as a fear of differences."

Anastasia's response was not swift, nor did it, at first resemble a response he _wanted_ to hear.

She took a step back, out of immediate grabbing reach. Then, with an oh-so-familiar smile, she tilted her head to the side. "Are you going to come in or not, Colonel?"

Gnome stepped inside, wondering once again what deity had seen fit to grace him with this woman's presence. She was beautiful, and kind, and _strong_ in a way he'd only seen Undine be strong in the past.

Sylph would run away from her problems. Which was all fine and good for a creature that could fly, but the humans were ground-bound.

His.

The thought startled Gnome, and he froze even as Anastasia settled in front of her mirror again, clearly putting the finishing touches on her hair.

The humans were his, as the Ferines were Undine's.

His to guide, to protect, to _know_.

"…Gnome?"

His attention returned to the mortal goddess who so demanded his attention, for all that she'd never offered him more than soft words and gentle smiles. "Yes, milady?"

Her face flushed bright pink. "You need not call me such. What is a mortal in the company of he who commands the very earth?"

Gnome knew he was going to come across amazingly sappy, but it had to be said. She'd set herself up for it so magnificently…

"A mere mortal? He is nothing." The flippant tone was easy, as was tilting Ana's head to force her to look at him again. "Alas, your company undoes me, and I find myself an even match for the mortals who seek your eye."

Please, please…

The familiar spark in Anastasia's eyes gave him hope, even before she spoke, her words allowing his heart to soar.

"I fear you underestimate yourself, for there is no mortal who could catch my eye now."

Gnome smiled, and took a glance at her dress. Creams, golds…

He took a step back and _pulled_ , fonons answering to him with ease, shifting, sculpting…

What formed in his hand was rather clearly a pendant. Gold, bronze, with just a hint of silver here and there, golden topaz stones resting among the twisted metal.

It was warm to the touch, and not simply because he had just made it. It held a part of him, and so long as Anastasia wore it, he would always know where she was… and when she needed him.

"…Gnome…"

He offered her the pendant, a hopefully confident-looking smile on his face. "Vould you vear it?"

Ana's smile was warm, and hopeful, and she turned, shifting what had been left loose of her golden curls. "I would. Will you put it on me?"

He was already reaching to do just that. "I vill."

The pendant was a part of him, and it was _hers_ … Just as he was.


	7. The Signing of the Treaty

Just so that everyone is fully aware of it: Shadow cannot sneak. He can startle the crap out of people by appearing out of their shadows, but he cannot sneak.

XD

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Part 7 - The Signing of the Treaty**

Brigadier General. The rank came with a rather bitter taste in his mouth, he mused, watching as the treaty that would end the war between Kaminari and Berkite was signed.

Anastasia, a queen in her own right, was not dressed in the frivolous fineries he was used to seeing her in for formal occasions. Rather than flowing gowns and carefully-styled hair, she sat across from the young prince she'd nearly been engaged to in a more utilitarian dress, hair pulled back to keep it out of her face.

She would never _be_ a warrior, but she looked every bit the part right now, intricate gold and bronze pendant on full display included.

So many rumors had spread surrounding the pendant that never left the queen's neck. A gift from a suitor she hadn't immediately rejected, an inheritance from her father that she'd only recently found, a spoil of this war that was defining the early years of her rule.

Only he and Anastasia knew the truth, and only he and Anastasia would ever know the _full_ truth.

She'd figured out rather quickly that the pendant held a part of him within it. It had never once left her throat since the day she'd asked him about it, just a bare week after the coronation.

The final signature was added to the final copy of the treaty, and he did his best not to fidget, fully aware of the fact that this wasn't quite over yet.

He wouldn't be comfortable again until Anastasia was safe back in New Ebenthan. Well…

Safer.

Clan Darigan had already proven once that it wasn't safe even in New Ebenthan, but given what Masaru had told him about everything King Archibald had gotten his hands into… He was grateful to see that miserable creature gone, for all of the pain that it caused his Ana.

Movement a good twenty feet away drew his attention, ever-so-faint vibrations leading him to turn just enough to spot a man at the edge of the room who most definitely should not have been there.

Shadow.

Or, well, the man that he was still quite sure was Shadow. The time-travelling Shadow, in fact.

…He'd shown up the night Archibald was killed.

Brigadier General Gaius, to anyone watching, continued to be a steady, solid, unmoving presence at the queen's side.

Gnome _moved_ , his consciousness splitting, the construct remaining rooted in place even as the earth shifted, placing him firmly in the time-travelling Shadow's path.

Shadow froze, eyes wide as he stared at him.

"Vhy are you here?!"

"I don't know what you're talking abou—"

Gnome growled. "I saw you at the Gala, Shadow! I saw you on the battlefield!"

Shadow was silent for a long moment, and for a moment, he thought his brother would simply run.

"I've been running this decade multiple times. I haven't seen Archibald's assassination yet, though that was on my list. The battlefield was this round, though. I'm getting sloppier."

…Oh, heavens.

"Shadow… Vhat are you hoping to accomplish?"

Red-violet eyes met gold, and Shadow shook his head. "I can't tell you, little brother. I can't risk telling you _anything_. I'm sorry… I can't risk anything changing."

"Vhy _follow_ me?!"

"Because you've gotten into the thick of the mess I'm trying to unravel."

…Oh. Oh no.

"Ana…"

"Gnome, please… Forget we ever had this conversation. If something changes, the world _will_ tear itself apart trying to fix the timeline."

It was the desperation in Shadow's voice that brought him back to himself.

Shadow didn't often poke his nose into things. When he did, though… He had a very, very bad habit of getting in well over his head.

"How far back did you come?"

Shadow took a step back, clearly intending to retreat.

"Shadow!"

"Three thousand years… give or take?"

Oh, he didn't.

The way he was biting his lip said, quite plainly, he _did_.

"Fucking. Idiot."

"Yeah, I know. But I don't know what else to do. How am I supposed to stop history from repeating itself if I don't know what went wrong the first time?"

Gnome let his head hang. "Don't you dare screw this up, then, Shadow."

The sorrowful smile he got in return told him enough about the time Shadow had come from. "I already did. I'm just cleaning up my mess." And then he was gone, faded back into the shadows that were as much a part of him as the very earth was a part of Gnome.

The earth that his current shell faded back into, even as his full consciousness returned to Anastasia's side.

Brown eyes rose to meet golden-brown, and Gaius knew that Anastasia had noticed his absence, as non-physical as it had been.

He would have to tell her about his brother tonight, on the return to New Ebenthan. If Shadow was running about, meddling or not, she would need to know.


	8. The Betrayal

Uh-oh. Now the insanity begins.

I think I might post parts 9 & 10 at the same time. 9 is super-short and leads right into 10.

(Also, it's official. Zalan is Mohs' ancestor. Whether I or any of my characters like it or not.)

* * *

 **Part 8 - The Betrayal**

There was a weight in his pocket. An unfamiliar weight, truly, but it was a weight, and he had hopes that he would be able to be rid of the weight soon. High hopes indeed…

"Gaius."

He froze, turning to look at the man behind him.

Masaru was far from the goofy young officer Gaius had met nine years ago, he mused. And… he didn't look like he was going to like what he was about to say.

"Zalan's made his move."

…What?

What the hell was Masaru…

Fear started to overtake him as the implications settled in.

Zalan had been making sounds like he intended to make Anastasia his bride. Something Gaius had doubted would ever happen. The queen hated him, hated the way he treated her like she was nothing more or less than a trophy.

But Anastasia respected him still, for his cunning and strategic mind that had gotten a number of their troops through the most difficult parts of the war.

Ana… it couldn't be possible, could it?

Gaius was turning, racing off, ears suddenly tuned to the gossip around him, even as Masaru called after his back.

"…Zalan proposed…"

"…you think she meant to string him along?"

"…wedding will be fantastic…"

"…except I thought there was something with that general…"

"…House of Moroll should be proud…"

He knew the path to Ana's rooms like the back of his hand. Knew that they were always open to him.

They had to be open this time. It had to be rumors, nothing more. Ana was _his_ , just as he was _hers_ …

Wasn't she?

He normally would have knocked, would have been more decorous, but… He _needed_ to know.

The door swung open, and he nearly stumbled. Ana stood by the balcony, turning to look at him as he rushed to her side.

"Ana! Ana, please, tell me it's not true!"

She blinked at him, the warm brown he was so familiar with hardened to ice. "What's not true?"

No. No, no, nononono!

He swallowed. "I know Duke Zalan vas planning to propose… Some of the guards… I didn't think he vould move so quickly, but… Please… if he did…"

He had his answer in Anastasia's face even before she spoke.

"I accepted."

No!

"No… No, Ana…"

She turned her nose up at him.

The same way he'd seen her _father_ do, at that gala. The same way so many of the nobles did. Why, _why_?!

"Really, Gaius. Did you truly believe I would entrust my father's throne to a common soldier?" She turned away, graceful as always, refusing to look at him even as she smashed everything to pieces. "You are _dismissed_ , Captain."

He took a step back.

This couldn't be happening. This _wasn't_ … It couldn't… Ana…

He ran. It was all he could think to do.

And if he only made it a few yards down the hall before he ran right through the stone walls of the palace and into a cave a few hundred miles away?

Gnome could have cared less.


	9. On the Edge

As decided last week, 9 & 10 are getting posted together. This one is, I kid you not, less than 400 words long. But Gaius insisted I add it.

* * *

 **Part 9 - On the Edge**

Something was wrong. Very, _very_ wrong.

Ana had called him 'Gaius'. Had called him 'Captain.' Had called him a common soldier.

He was none of the above, and she _knew_ it.

He was a terrible actor. He knew it, it was why he relied so much on his past experience with the military to keep from screwing up constantly. He was a horrible actor, and Ana…

Ana was amazing.

It was an _act_. He knew it had to be.

And yet…

Something within him had snapped. He hadn't taken the time to truly observe it yet, to see what had really happened. He was returning to New Ebenthan just as soon as he could, but… His power. His power was unstable, he was pulling on the earth in ways he hadn't since he'd started walking among the humans.

What was wrong with him?

Ana… his Ana…

No, not his. Not anymore, that was why he'd run…

Yes, his. His… because… because…

What was wrong with him?

Black hair, green eyes, a smirk wide enough to assure Gaius that the man in front of him knew exactly what he was doing.

Zalan.

He froze, stared at the man for a long few minutes, and then tilted his head to the side.

What was a man like Duke Zalan doing out on the edge of the city?

"Shame about your rank, _Captain_. But perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising… after all… you're lucky you weren't dishonorably discharged for your crimes during the war…"

What crimes?

His mind was clouded, foggy.

Why was he outside New Ebenthan?

"I told her about the man from Darigan. Told her that you were in league with the Clans. A mole sent to make sure that the Darigan Head would have his poison when you 'brought him in'. I told her everything you did on the battlefields, the war _you_ orchestrated, the lives you destroyed…"

He was lying. Gnome _hated_ war.

Zalan grinned. "Look at you. Struck dumb by her rejection. You didn't really think you'd actually managed to win the heart of a _princess_ , did you?"

Ana had rejected him.

Ana…

His necklace.

The pendant.

It was gone.

Gnome raged.


	10. The Destruction of New Ebenthan

Okay, this one's just over 800 words... why did they end up so tiny?!

Oh well. One more part, and then the epilogue. Those will be posted... whenever. Because clearly I care about a schedule at this point.

* * *

 **Part 10 - The Destruction of New Ebenthan**

He was being followed, even as the ground around him shattered, broke, tore apart and sent buildings falling like dominoes.

…What were dominoes?

It didn't matter. He had a mission.

Get back the pendant. _His_ pendant. It was a part of him. A part of his soul.

"Gnome…"

He knew that voice. That was… that was his brother.

"Gnome!"

He stopped. "Don't try to stop me, Shadow."

"The Clans are dealing with her. Let it go!"

He spun, ready to snarl at the time-traveler…

Blob.

Shadow was a blob. Hadn't the time-travelling Shadow been human? This Shadow was a blob.

He was only vaguely aware of the words that spewed from his mouth as he raged.

"They _created_ her, Shadow! Created her, created Archibald!"

How did he know that they were responsible for Archibald? He hadn't liked Archibald, but he was Ana's father, was he not?

Why did he care?

"Archibald was assassinated by a Darigan!"

He hissed, resisting the urge to remind Shadow that he'd been there, that night, too, because this Shadow _hadn't_ been. "And _that_ was the final straw for Anastasia. She _changed_ when her father died, Shadow!" Hadn't she? Or, was that…

Wasn't that later?

He didn't know.

He knew that Archibald was key, though.

"Her people will suffer for this as well."

He turned, continuing on his path toward the castle. The pendant, the pendant…

"They're human. They're _young,_ Gnome. They don't understand like we do."

Why was Shadow defending them? He had no love of the little mortals, not like Ifrit, not like…

Gnome didn't love them. He _hated_ them.

"They age faster than we did, Shadow."

"Gnome, please! The Clans—"

"I don't care what they're planning," he shot back, with only half the acid he'd meant to put into it.

"Your actions are going to have consequences for _all_ of us, Gnome!"

He turned, shooting Shadow a glare. This, from the time-traveler? "Let them come. I'll clear the slate." Clear it properly. The humans were menaces, and had been since they'd begun spreading. How many times had he and Undine and the rest of them had to destroy their precious fontech because it _hurt_? How many times had they had to remind the humans to _stop_?

No more.

"No… Gnome, you can't!"

Heh. Silly Shadow. Always the doubter. Gnome was tired of listening to him.

"Can't I? Humans rely upon the earth. I _am_ the earth! They have learned, oh yes. They've learned too well. To harm, to hate, to destroy!"

Destruction he'd helped with. He still remembered a certain field, stained in blood and stalagmites that rose up like his claws out of the very ground.

"They can be taught! They can be made to see!"

He didn't slow down. Didn't stop.

He _pulled_ on the earth around him, warping it, twisting it into the destruction he'd so carefully held back in the past even when he was on the battlefields.

The light was warm, and almost solid around his shoulders.

"Gnome, _please_."

Heh, how pathetic. Shadow had resorted to begging him.

"Rem."

The light would have blinded him if he'd been turned the other way, looking at Shadow instead of ignoring him. He could feel his brother retreating even as Rem solidified in a humanoid form for the sole reason of it being small enough not to feel claustrophobic.

"Kill them, Gnome."

Kill whom? The humans?

Oh, he would.

"It's not just the humans who have learned to hate and destroy…" Gnome heard Shadow muttering as his brother retreated.

He didn't stop. Couldn't.

The pendant. He needed the pendant back.

He needed…

Ana loved him.

Ana had rejected him.

He needed…

…He needed to destroy the humans. The ones that had hurt him. It needed to be done.

The walls of the castle were familiar. He stood in the courtyard below it and looked around. The city was already starting to collapse, but the earth upon which the castle stood was strong, sturdy…

He reached out, rooting himself into the earth, into his element, and took hold.

The flash of bright red had him glancing at the castle doors just as he _pulled_ , not a physical movement, but one made entirely with his mind and soul.

Horror, terror, pain, _love_.

Warm brown eyes, the color of freshly-turned soil that would bear the crops that would sustain the people.

Ana.

 _His_ Ana.

He felt her body shatter. How could he not, when it was stone that fell upon her and stone that had been beneath her feet.

He'd seen, in those last moments.

She loved him. She'd been playing a long game he hadn't seen.

The rest of the city followed the castle as Gnome, still clinging to the human form he'd worn as Gaius Shale, fell to his knees, screaming a single name to the skies and praying that his love hadn't suffered in her death as he had in causing it.

" _Ana!"_


	11. The Last

And herein lies the proof that Gnome is well and truly crazy. I am _so_ glad I wasn't in his head for An Echo through Time.

(Anybody want to try guessing all the different meanings for this title? I currently have a list of five. There's probably more that could be added.)

* * *

 **Part 11 - The Last**

The Clans were going to destroy them all.

They'd already sealed the others.

Ifrit had been first, had gone to them willingly after his people had been destroyed.

(Had he had a part in that? He couldn't remember…)

Shadow had gone willingly, as well. And lured Rem to them.

(Where had the time-traveling Shadow gotten off to?)

Undine had been in a rage over the destruction of her Ferines. The last of them were gone… Too much like humans.

(And yet, at the same time, not like humans at all.)

Sylph hadn't really wanted to go, but she'd let them seal her away more willingly than, say, Rem.

(Was it all that surprising? She loved people, but she also loved to _fly_.)

Gnome was the last. For now.

He'd almost managed to track down the first of the monolithic crystals that had one of his siblings sealed within when they caught up.

He knew their names.

Orothur. Kenji. Masaru. Nemari. Kurai. Ydaer. Endyr.

Endyr and Nemari. They were the only two not already carrying traces of the seals he currently tracked.

Masaru. The traitor.

(He's in pain.)

"Gaius…"

Golden-brown eyes glared at light brown, and Masaru grimaced, shifting his stance. His uniform was in tatters, the clothing underneath wasn't much better.

"Do you even remember?" Masaru muttered. "Did you remember Alaire when you killed her? Anastasia?"

He snarled, launching himself at the brunette.

Masaru only barely dodged, Endyr rapidly closing the distance and gaining Gnome's attention. A wind spirit—lesser spirit, pah—floated around, clearly protecting Nemari even as…

He needed to move.

He didn't move fast enough to get out of their trap.

(They knew we would come for the monoliths.)

Who was 'we'?

"I'm sorry, Gaius. You're not in your right mind," Masaru said, sounding tired.

(Too tired.)

For a moment, the schism in his head was bridged, and he shifted as much as he could to look at the man Gaius Shale had once called 'friend.'

"I know."

The bare moment of startlement was all he was able to witness before the trap was gone.

He was floating. Disconnected from the earth. Despite the crystal he knew he must be within, the ground that had to be within reaching distance, it felt more like he was floating high above the clouds.

The schism reformed, even as he screamed in rage and pain.

' _I'm sorry, Elder Brother. I have no choice.'_

"There is _always_ a choice!"

' _Not this time, it seems. Not for us… Where do you call home, Elder Brother?'_

Why did she care?

(Home was Ana. Was Bergan, once. Was New Ebenthan.)

Home, as she was able to discern, was the centerpoint between Bergan and New Ebenthan.

And that was where he would wake up three thousand years later, still angry and hurting and wishing nothing more or less than to destroy the humans that had sealed him away.

Gnome would not stop until he was whole.


	12. Full Circle

And here's the epilogue of A Bucket of Stones~

Just for a bit of reference (not that it's _that_ necessary, as in-chapter context tells us anyway, but I know some people have bad memories), this takes place about two years after the end of the Main Arcs of An Echo through Time.

Enjoy, and I hope to see everyone over in the Tales of Symphonia fandom next Friday when I post A Dying Light!

* * *

 **Epilogue - Full Circle**

Dawn lit up the eastern sky a light pink, behind the mountains. It was lovely, really, watching the snow-capped peaks turn pink and then gold as the day began and the earth turned.

It was eerily familiar, and yet… He'd done this so many times before. Stopped outside the city, looked to the east as the dawn broke over the horizon…

It had been three thousand years. He could feel the differences just as keenly as he could feel the familiar. It was an almost jarring experience… And as he took a deep breath, he couldn't help but think that it was worth it.

It was time to try again. He'd done what he could for St. Binah, and the city was doing well in the hands of General McGovern, his daughter, and her boyfriend, the young Lieutenant Colonel Osborne… a boy he'd once thought to _use_ , to turn against his family.

The comfortable smirk the young man had shot him when he'd admitted where he was bound when he'd left hours before had told him he'd been forgiven.

He'd been forgiven by a lot of people whom he probably didn't deserve forgiveness from.

Footsteps behind him. He only knew because he could _feel_ it. And he had a feeling…

"Didn't expect to see you here."

Somehow, the fact that the owner of that voice was outside the city at this hour didn't surprise him in the least. Nor was he surprised that she would deign to speak with him.

"You've got a thing for militaries, don't you?"

He couldn't quite keep the corner of his mouth from twitching up into a small smile.

She… garnered that reaction a lot. It tended to happen when she understood so well…

He turned to look at her, noting that she was in what he knew was often called her 'casual' uniform. She _detested_ the tabard… even as much as she loved it.

He knew the feeling. They took some getting used to at times. The uniform he wore right now was nothing like what he'd worn three thousand years ago… Or, well, for the last three thousand years, he supposed.

He hadn't really been able to change his appearance while trapped within the seal.

Haunted golden-brown eyes rose from a violet and black uniform to meet steady golden-green.

"Does it matter?" he asked, knowing full well what the answer was already.

She wouldn't have signed off on his paperwork if she _hadn't_ approved.

And her answer…

A small twitch of the lips, and a shrug. "I suppose not."

He felt rather a moment of déjà vu as she stepped up next to him, her eyes drawn to the mountain range much as his had been a moment previously.

"Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon still?" he found himself asking as he turned to look that way again himself.

She laughed a bit. "Funny story there. Lorelei decided to crash it. It took Asch and I four hours to explain the concept of a honeymoon before he got the point and left."

Good _heavens_ that boy.

"Ve need to put a leash on him, methinks."

"Eh. It wasn't that bad. To be honest, as much as we were enjoying the time away from everything, we were getting a bit stir-crazy. And, well… We did only cut it two days short. The rest of that time had been meant to account for travel time, which, when you can teleport…"

"Is cut down to a matter of minutes, rather than days," he finished.

She laughed again. "Yeah. So… I'm actually only back on duty for a couple hours a day right now. Just enough to try to kill the pile of paperwork on my desk."

He glanced over and shot her a knowing look. "You mean the never-ending list of messages you insist on calling e-mails." He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know what the 'e' stood for.

"That too. But there's plenty of the physical copy stuff, too… Huh. Aren't you supposed to be reporting in right about—"

Crap.

"I'm running late again. Vhy does this always happen vhen I have company of a morning?" he muttered irritably.

Kairi Balfour-Fabre, Commandant of the Order of Lorelei, wife to the King of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, sister to General Jade Balfour and sister-in-law to Emperor Peony IX, and the woman who had returned his pendant and _soul_ to him, threw her head back and laughed, before reaching out and grabbing his arm.

"I've got ya," she said, the miasma already wrapping around the both of them. It didn't really hurt when she used it like this, and… well. So much of the earth knew its touch.

It was familiar. As was she, now.

They reappeared in a hallway, and she pointed to a cracked-open door.

He still had three minutes, thanks to her teleporting.

He offered up as grateful a smile as he could. "Thank you."

Her return smile was warm, and _hopeful_. What he wouldn't have given to have known her three thousand years ago…

"You're welcome… Gaius."


End file.
